Large-scale exploration programme

The permits follow a July agreement between KoBold and the Congolese government, granting the U.S. firm the right to carry out a large-scale exploration programme. The deal also provides KoBold a pathway to acquire rights over the Manono deposit, one of the world’s largest known lithium reserves, critical for electric vehicle battery production.

According to the company, the licensed areas are predominantly prospective for lithium. “Much of the ground is located near Manono but does not overlap existing permits,” KoBold said. The Manono project itself remains mired in a dispute between the DRC government and Australia’s AVZ Minerals, which has been waiting for a long-delayed mining licence.

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The new underground development focuses on the higher-grade ore body beneath the Sandsloot pit. For years, South African PGM producers have battled declining ore grades, forcing a shift to deeper and more costly underground operations to sustain output.

Production target

Mogalakwena remains Valterra’s top-producing asset, contributing nearly half of its total PGM production. According to General Manager Stephan Nothnagel, the underground project is advancing through feasibility studies expected to conclude in the first half of 2027. However, a trial phase will start earlier, with first ore potentially being trucked to surface by the end of 2026. If successful, Valterra envisions ramping up underground production to between 3.6 and 4.5 million tonnes per year after 2030, potentially boosting Mogalakwena’s concentrate output by 10% to 50%.

Despite recent headwinds for PGMs linked to falling prices and reduced demand due to the growth of battery electric vehicles Valterra is positioning itself for longer-term opportunities. The company’s strategy team highlighted growing applications in hydrogen production and fuel-cell vehicles, which could help offset the decline in traditional autocatalyst demand.

“We have strong confidence in the fundamentals of the PGM sector, both in the near term and especially in the long term,” said Agit Singh, Valterra’s head of processing operations.

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When 12-year-old Londiwe lost her father, her world collapsed. The middle child of five in a single-parent household, she watched her retail-worker mother struggle to make ends meet. Like many in her situation, Londiwe assumed her future would mirror her mother’s, a life limited to retail work.

Just four months from completing her fourth year of engineering at North-West University, Londiwe’s story illustrates the importance of bursaries that offer more than financial assistance. Steinmüller Africa’s bursary programme sets itself apart by building human connections that ensure success.

Support through setbacks

“When I gave up on myself, they didn’t,”says Londiwe, reflecting on the comprehensive support that carried her through two failed academic years and a traumatic accident involving a delivery bike.

While many bursary programmes stop at covering tuition fees, Steinmüller Africa’sprogramme extends far beyond the basics. It includes textbooks, a laptop, excursions, and even vacation work opportunities. But crucially, it also provides counselling services and regular check-in calls during difficult periods, support elements often absent from traditional bursary schemes.

“When I wanted to give up, I received supportive calls from Wilmé,” says Londiwe. She is referring to Wilmé van Niekerk, Training Coordinator at Steinmüller Africa. Londiwe explains that Wilmé’s supportive calls gave her the strength to overcome academic struggles and personal trauma, enabling her to transition from residential housing to independent off-campus living with her adequate stipend support.

Breaking Generational Cycles

Londiwe’s transformation began with an act of faith. To attend her bursary application interview, she accepted a lift from strangers, her only transportation option. Her worried mother called “every two minutes” during the journey.

That leap of faith honoured a promise her late father made when she was just four years old: “You are going to be an engineer.” His words, spoken years before his death, planted a seed that Steinmüller Africa’s programme helped nurture into reality.

The impact extends beyond Londiwe. Her youngest sister is now also studying mechanical engineering, evidence of how one transformed life can influence an entire family.

Paying It Forward

“God can still change your story,”Londiwe advises young people facing similar circumstances, “Keep on believing.”

Her experience has inspired a personal mission: to support upcoming engineers in her future career, creating a ripple effect of opportunity that extends Steinmüller Africa’s impact far beyond individual recipients.

About Steinmüller Africa’s Bursary Programme

Steinmüller Africa’s comprehensive bursary programme demonstrates that sustainable educational support requires more than financial assistance. By providing academic resources, accommodation support, career development opportunities, and ongoing mentorship, the programme addresses the full spectrum of challenges facing disadvantaged students.

The post Beyond bursaries: How Steinmüller Africa’s comprehensive support transforms lives appeared first on Mining Business Africa.

Lake Natron, a Ramsar site since 2001, lies in northern Tanzania’s drylands and is the only reliable breeding ground for Lesser Flamingos in Africa, supporting up to 2.5 million birds—around 75% of the global population. More than 300 bird species, fish, algae, and vegetation also depend on its alkaline ecosystem.

Disruptions

Ngaresero Valley Company Ltd had proposed producing one million tonnes of soda ash annually, beginning with 660,000 tonnes of refined product. The project raised alarms over freshwater diversion, ecological disruption, and destruction of flamingo nesting grounds. Land demands of 45,000 hectares for pumps, pipelines, and a processing plant also threatened displacement. Community leaders in Engaresero, where tourism tied to flamingo colonies sustains schools and clinics, warned that mining would dismantle livelihoods and social stability.

Nature Tanzania stressed that diverting water from rivers such as the Ewaso Ng’iro would alter the lake’s chemistry, undermine ecological processes, and reduce tourism revenues. Unlike in 2006, when global campaigns stalled a similar plan, opposition in 2025 was driven from within. Nine villages organised 17 meetings under the slogan “Our Lake, Our Life,” rejecting industrial extraction as incompatible with cultural identity and survival.

While conservation groups welcomed the government’s decision, they cautioned that it remains provisional. Ongoing risks from climate change, flooding, and wider industrial expansion still threaten the lake. For now, however, Natron’s ecological and cultural integrity has been safeguarded, preserving both flamingo populations and community livelihoods.

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Morocco leads both consumption and production, holding a 91% market share equivalent to nearly 234,000 tons, while Oman follows at a distant 23,000 tons. On a per capita basis, Moroccan consumption is estimated at 6.1 kilograms, compared to Oman’s 4.2 kilograms. This reflects the country’s success in integrating cobalt into its industrial framework, supported by favorable regulations and modern infrastructure that attract international investors in the battery and renewable energy industries.

Clean energy revolution

Over the past decade, Morocco’s cobalt market has grown steadily at an annual rate of 1.4%, reaching an estimated value of $1.9 billion. The country has also emerged as the leading cobalt importer in the region, bringing in 1,200 tons in 2024 equivalent to 86% of all MENA imports. In value terms, imports reached $4.4 million, representing 68% of the regional share. This surge, growing at more than 28% annually over the past ten years, highlights Morocco’s strategy to secure domestic supply and fuel industrial demand.

Exports remain modest at 201 kilograms in 2024 but have been rising rapidly, expanding by over 80% annually since 2013. Export earnings reached $61,000, though at one of the region’s lowest price points. A milestone was the establishment of the first lithium-ion battery materials unit at Jorf Lasfar, reinforcing Morocco’s ambition to move up the value chain.

By consolidating its cobalt leadership, Morocco is positioning itself at the center of the clean energy revolution, transforming mineral wealth into an engine of industrial growth and international investment.

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Mining companies are investing heavily in renewable energy, but technology alone cannot guarantee the success of these projects. The critical factor is having the right people in the right roles for the right amount of time. Temporary Employment Solutions (TES) providers can help mining operations turn their ambitious ESG goals into reality with a Human-Centric Solutions (HCS) approach.

By carefully matching employees to roles where their skills and experience have the greatest impact, while also providing support and development, human-centric solutions ensure projects are delivered efficiently, sustainably and in full compliance with labour laws, safety standards, and ESG commitments.

The role of human centric solutions

Human-centric solutions bridge the gap between a mining operation’s workforce needs and its renewable energy project goals. Forward-thinking TES providers work as a strategic partner to mining organizations, handling the end-to-end workforce process – from sourcing and vetting the right skills, through to ensuring they have the training, certifications, and resources to perform effectively.

In assuming responsibility for recruitment, compliance with labour regulations, contract management, payroll, and employee support, the TES provider frees the mining organization to focus on core project delivery. A human-centric approach ensures that staff are not only technically competent but also aligned with the operation’s ESG commitments. This includes providing access to benefits such as medical aid, provident funds, and skills development – benefits that create stability and encourage commitment, even in project-based or fixed-term work.

Supporting renewable energy goals

Employees are on boarded to understand both their immediate role and the wider purpose of the project, whether reducing the mine’s carbon footprint or meeting local content targets. The alignment of workforce readiness with project timelines and goals by the TES provider enables mining clients to scale their teams during construction phases and retain essential expertise for the ongoing operations and maintenance stages. With the right people in place – supported, skilled, and motivated – ambitious, large-scale renewable energy transitions become achievable.

Meeting renewable energy objectives and lowering a mining operation’s carbon footprint requires a workforce that is both capable and conscious of its impact. TES providers taking a human-centric approach will ensure that employees are competent, integrated into project teams, and recruited locally whenever possible, in support of community development and ESG commitments.

Where local skills are limited, a human-centric approach involves upskilling and training initiatives, equipping community members for specific roles. This addresses immediate project needs while also developing a pipeline of skilled workers for the future. Employees are encouraged to see how their daily work contributes to environmental and social outcomes, which ensures renewable energy projects are delivered efficiently, safely and sustainably.

Compliance and risk management

In the renewable energy’s project-based environment, proactive compliance is essential. A skilled TES partner integrates systems that ensure every stage of recruitment, onboarding and workforce management aligns with labour laws, site regulations and company policies. This protects the mining organisation against legal penalties, disputes and reputational damage.

A well-supported, compliant workforce gives mining companies the assurance to operate without unnecessary risk. Employees know the standards expected of them, while TES providers monitor and address issues before they escalate. With compliance embedded into daily operations, risks are mitigated early, projects run smoothly and the company’s reputation remains intact.

Enhancing operational efficiency and sustainability

TES providers use human-centric solutions to help mining operations work smarter and more sustainably. Given that engaged, skilled and supported employees are more productive, reliable and motivated, this boosts project delivery and generates positive social impact in the communities where mining takes place.

Human-centric solutions show that people are at the heart of both business performance and sustainability. A well-prepared, engaged workforce keeps projects on schedule, meets ESG targets, and upholds safety and compliance standards. Technology alone cannot achieve this – it is the right people, fully supported, who turn renewable energy goals into lasting results.

The post Putting people at the heart of South African mining’s renewable energy transition appeared first on Mining Business Africa.

This strategic sponsorship reflects the company’s commitment to advancing energy resilience and environmentally responsible critical digital infrastructure within the commercial and industrial space (C&I) in Zambia and the wider southern African region. The event takes place on 27 to 28 August at The Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka.

“Energy reliability is the backbone of digital transformation, and Zambia is at a pivotal point where investments in energy storage, hybrid power systems, and responsible business strategies can significantly influence and support economic growth,” says Gary Chomse, regional director for Central-Southern Africa at Vertiv. “The summit aligns with Vertiv’s regional growth strategy and our commitment to enabling operational continuity for essential industries.”

At the summit, Vertiv’s booth will showcase its modular, energy-efficient power and cooling systems, designed and developed to support African businesses’ operational and environmental needs. In particular, the company will highlight its Vertiv SmartAisle edge data centre solution, a fully integrated infrastructure with power, cooling, racks, environmental monitoring, and system management to enable a quickly deployable data centre solution.

Vertiv will also feature Vertiv EnergyCore Grid, its battery energy storage system (BESS) for mining, data centres, and critical digital infrastructure applications. This solution is designed for grid-connected and hybrid applications, reliable power, simplified integration, and flexible deployment while meeting the demands of today’s high-performance environments.

Vertiv EnergyCore Grid offers scalable, reliable power benefits, including near-instantaneous power transfer to protect mission-critical operations from disruptions, a measurable safeguard against downtime. Vertiv EnergyCore Grid also offers power capacity scalability for site-specific needs or future growth without overbuilding upfront, enabling return on investment (ROI) faster and minimising stranded assets. The system also enables peak shaving, load shifting and backup power support, helping to control energy costs, improve power quality, and increase resilience for on-site operations.

Vertiv Africa’s strategic account manager, Henry Myburgh, will present about an African BESS deployment on Wednesday August 27, and will also hold an in-depth master class on the topic on Thursday August 28.

“Vertiv invites Zambia’s energy buyers, developers, and infrastructure partners to engage with its team at the C&I Energy & Storage Summit Zambia 2025,” says Chomse. “Our message is simple: reliable power shouldn’t be a bottleneck for Zambia’s growth. With the comprehensive suite of Vertiv integrated infrastructure solutions and power solutions, we’re ready to help Zambian businesses unlock operational resilience and alternative energy outcomes.”

About Vertiv

Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to enable its customers’ vital applications to run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs. Vertiv solves the most important challenges facing today’s data centers, communication networks and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extends from the cloud to the edge of the network. Headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, USA, Vertiv does business in more than 130 countries.

The post Vertiv to sponsor C&I Energy & Storage Summit Zambia 2025 appeared first on Mining Business Africa.

While the popularity of these types of auctions is filled with opportunities for buyers it is also important to note the ins and outs of the business and to seek out trustworthy and reputable auctioneers who work within the boundaries of the law and are members of the industry’s official professional body, the South African Institute of Auctioneers (SAIA).

Gert Labuschagne, Chief Operations Officer for and long-standing member of SAIA at auction company GoBid, explains that salvage auctions focus on selling vehicles deemed uneconomical to repair by insurers. Vehicles classified as “salvage” are not necessarily beyond repair; instead, the classification often results from the combined costs of repairs, car rental, and related claim expenses exceeding the vehicle’s post-repair value. Once these vehicles are repaired to meet roadworthy standards, they may be returned to use.

Salvage auctions serve a critical role in the insurance and financial ecosystem by helping recover value from vehicles deemed uneconomical to repair and reducing fraud through regulated channels. These vehicles range from accident-damaged to repossessed and used cars and are sold “as is or voetstoots” through professional auction platforms. The vehicles are categorised either as Code 2 (used and repairable), Code 3 (rebuilt or permanently unfit motor vehicle), Code 3A (scrapped for parts only) and Code 4 (permanently demolished and not for resale).

“In tough economic times, South Africans are looking for affordable vehicle solutions and salvage auctions give buyers a chance to access vehicles well below retail prices – some in repairable condition, others ideal for parts.”

SAIA chief operations officer, Sonja Styger, adds that with the growth in popularity of salvage auctions combined with a rising number of outlets and technology platforms it is possible to find daily auctions where bidders can participate from anywhere in the country. In these instances buyers can identify the vehicles they like and arrange viewing prior to the auction and bidding. In most instances auctioneers should be able to field questions about the vehicle to ensure transparency and buyer confidence in the process.

Typical buyers range from everyday South Africans to seasoned professionals:

• Mechanics and panel beaters seeking vehicles to repair and resell
• DIY rebuilders taking on projects for personal use
• Parts dealers harvesting components for resale
• Dealers looking for competitively priced vehicles
• Fleet managers sourcing budget additions

Gert concurs adding that the online format has opened the doors for anyone from an entry-level entrepreneur to a large dealership to participate on a national scale. However, this accessibility also attracts unaccredited operators, leading to issues such as cloned vehicles, misrepresented conditions, hidden fees and other activities not in line with industry standards, all of which can result in significant costs for buyers.

That’s where SAIA’s role becomes essential. “SAIA-accredited auctioneers comply with a strict Code of Conduct, operate within all legal frameworks and provide full transparency to protect both buyers and sellers. Failure to comply with these requirements will therefore have consequences and serves as a deterrent to chancers or fly-by-night operators.”

Sonja concludes that whether a buyer is looking for a budget vehicle, a project car or a business opportunity salvage auctions offer real value. “Just be sure to deal with a SAIA-accredited auctioneer to ensure your rights and investments are protected.”

Visit www.auctioneering.co.za to find a trusted SAIA member near you and explore upcoming salvage auctions across the country.

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Advanced Process Control (APC) system, powered by its Expert Optimizer platform, is emerging as a key enabler of smarter, more efficient mining operations. “Advanced Process Control systems are designed to sit above the plant’s basic control layer,” explains Kabeer Sewpersad, Sales Manager – Digital Solutions, ABB Process Automation, Process Industries. “They act as a layer of intelligence, making small, precise adjustments that optimise performance without disrupting operations.”

What is advanced process control?

In a typical mining setup, day-to-day operations are managed by a Distributed Control System (DCS) or SCADA system, also known as Level 2 systems. ABB’s APC solution, Expert Optimizer, operates as a Level 3 control system, integrating seamlessly with ABB’s flagship 800xA DCS platform or with third-party systems.

“Expert Optimizer leverages technologies such as Model Predictive Control (MPC) and artificial neural networks to analyse and refine key process parameters in real-time,” notes Sewpersad. “It does not make large-scale changes, which is still the domain of the DCS. What it does is introduce subtle, incremental refinements that drive long-term benefits.”

Seamless integration and minimal disruption

A standout feature of ABB’s APC solution is its non-invasive deployment. “If the customer is already using our 800xA DCS, we simply add Expert Optimizer as an additional server. It integrates inherently with 800xA by design,” says Sewpersad. Even when a client uses a third-party DCS, Expert Optimizer remains highly compatible. “It is flexible and system-agnostic, allowing us to implement APC as a standalone layer with minimal disruption,” he adds.

This flexibility is especially valuable in mining, where unplanned downtime can result in significant losses. Since Expert Optimizer operates independently of direct control layers, its deployment does not interfere with production.

Fingerprint assessments for customised implementation

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to APC deployment. ABB begins each engagement with a Fingerprint Assessment or a tailored questionnaire to understand the existing plant setup, automation readiness for APC, and potential areas of improvement.

“We send an engineer on site for a week or two to gather historical data, interview operators, and assess whether the plant has the necessary infrastructure, like variable speed drives, for APC to be effective,” says Sewpersad. “This ensures we are proposing solutions that deliver real value.”

With more than 25 years of APC experience, ABB has built a library of industry-specific base models that can be quickly adapted for individual clients. “For example, we already have templates for grinding plants. Customisation then becomes a matter of finetuning rather than starting from scratch,” he adds.

Real, measurable benefits for mining

In the mining sector, the benefits of APC are particularly striking in comminution and grinding processes. Here, APC can deliver up to 2.5% increase in throughput, 4.3% improvement in particle size distribution, 10.9% reduction in specific energy consumption, reduced grinding media consumption, and improved downstream stability and reduced variability.

“When you tighten control over the grinding process, you are also stabilising what flows into the flotation, thickening, and smelting stages. That kind of upstream optimisation has a cascading effect across the entire value chain,” says Sewpersad.

Across multiple stages, cumulative improvements can be substantial: up to 20% improvement in milling efficiency, 15% reduction in losses in cleaner circuits, 4% gains in thickening performance, and 3% enhancement in smelter efficiency.

And because Expert Optimizer monitors performance through built-in KPI tracking, clients can see the impact in real time. “Our platform enables customers to measure how well they are using the APC system, track savings shift by shift and compare actual outcomes with projected gains like energy savings or reduced reagent use,” explains Sewpersad.

A strategic, phased approach

ABB encourages mining clients to implement APC in stages. “Start with one process, realise the return on investment, and then use that success to fund further improvements,” advises Sewpersad. “This phased rollout not only reduces risk but also builds long-term trust and collaboration between ABB and the client.”

With its proven Expert Optimizer platform, seamless integration into the 800xA DCS, and a clear path to measurable operational gains, ABB is helping mining clients unlock a new level of performance, one process at a time. “You will be surprised how even a 1% or 5% change can result in major efficiency gains over time,” concludes Sewpersad.

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As water-intensive operations, mines generally require large volumes of water in their processing plants to facilitate effective mineral extraction. Many of the country’s mining regions also happen to be located in provinces where annual rainfall is relatively low.

“The design of water management systems has tended to rely on historical rainfall and weather data, which was used to project anticipated conditions into the future,” said Tiaan Bauman, partner and principal civil engineer at SRK Consulting South Africa. “With climate change and rainfall variability, this is no longer sufficient – so engineers and scientists are building new models of forecasting into their designs.”

Too little, too much

The first challenge for mines is, of course, to ensure that there is enough water available or stored to supply their operations through the dry seasons, said Bauman. There is increasing focus on finding alternatives to the scarce and potentially costly water from municipal sources. With greater rainfall variability, dry spells can turn into drought conditions more often than expected, so storage capacity may need to be expanded.

“The engineering of water retention facilities on mines is therefore demanding more attention,” he said. “On the one hand, there may be more frequent droughts due to changing rainfall patterns, while on the other, there have been more intense and localised downpours.”

For mines, this adds considerably to operational uncertainty and environmental risk – as higher- than-usual rainfall intensity can quickly result in return water dams and settlement ponds filling up and over-topping. According to South African laws, water discharge from a site must meet strict water quality standards.

Compliance and risk

“Many mines already have dedicated treatment facilities to achieve these standards before they conduct controlled discharge into rivers or drainage networks,” he pointed out. “Non-compliant discharges into the environment or dam breaches can lead to costly fines and even more significant reputational damage.”

The latest standards governing tailings storage facilities – the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) – also shine a spotlight on the risk of higher rainfall patterns and their impact on mining sites. The GISTM explicitly requires signatories to consider climate change when developing and applying their engineered solutions.

Raising the bar

“In recent years, leading mining companies have invested considerably in reviewing their TSF design and management, as well as associated infrastructure such as return water dams,” said Bauman. “As consultants, we have been actively involved – not only to ensure that the latest standards are being applied, but to push the boundaries of this discipline to further evolve innovative ways to more effectively meet these standards.”

He acknowledged that improvements to water-related infrastructure does place a financial burden on mining, and smaller mining companies are often less well-resourced to make the necessary investment in sustainable and resilient solutions.

“However, it is becoming increasingly clear that such engineering interventions are essential – and that we must foster the necessary research and development to optimise our strategies,” he said.

Progress

Already, there has been considerable progress in the local mining sector in terms of applying water treatment techniques to re-use water in plant processes and beyond, he said. In Mpumalanga, for example, some coal mines have even collaborated to improve water quality to a potable standard – where it can be sold back to a municipality for community use.

Baumann noted that, while there are various water treatment technologies available – including the desalination of seawater by coastal mining operations – many can be costly. The growth of the population and the economy generally means that companies are having to accept that procuring the right quality of water is going to become more expensive.

Social license and stewardship

“A key factor guiding water engineering options is mines’ relationships with their local communities, which is really the basis of their social licence to operate,” he said. “Mines recognise the need to balance their own demands with those of the towns and settlements around them.”

This has opened the door for the growing acceptance of water stewardship as an approach to water management – as it provides strategies for taking into consideration the broader catchment around a mine, including stakeholders like communities and other industries.

“Especially with the water shortages faced by many municipalities around South Africa, the focus for mines is to draw as little water as possible from the traditional municipal sources – and for mines to work towards self-sufficiency,” he said.

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